Books and Blogs Written by Fellows
Are you a Fellow who has published a book or blog? We would like to add your publication to our virtual bookshelves. Please email us at info@lgcchicago.org.
Chicago is Not Broke. Funding the City We Deserve.
Organized and edited by Tom Tresser (LGC Fellow since 1990)
This civic education project refutes the claim that Chicago is broke. It aims to show that - far from being broke, Chicago has ample resources to become the city we all need and deserve. This book includes short articles from a great team of local experts describing how we can save and generate MAJOR revenues for Chicago. The book is divided into three sections: (1) Money That Is Stolen From Us - Money We Should NOT Have Spent, (2) Money That Is Hidden From Us, and (3) Money That We Are NOT Collecting - But Should Be. The goal is to make Chicago taxpayers super smart about how the city really works and influence conversations about future budgets and beyond. Read more here.
How Schools Work: An Inside Account of Failure and Success from One of the Nation’s Longest-Serving Secretaries of Education
by Arne Duncan (LGC Fellow since 1995)
Drawing on nearly three decades in education—from his mother’s after-school program on Chicago’s South Side to his tenure as Secretary of Education in Washington, DC—How Schools Work follows Arne as he takes on challenges at every turn: gangbangers in Chicago housing projects, parents who call him racist, teachers who insist they can’t help poor kids, unions that refuse to modernize, Tea Partiers who call him an autocrat, affluent white progressive moms who hate yearly tests, and even the NRA, which once labeled Arne the “most extreme anti-gun member of President Obama’s Cabinet.” Going to a child’s funeral every couple of weeks, will do that to a person. Listen here. Read more here.
The Savvy Executive: The Handbook Covering Employment Contracts, Compensation, Executive Skills, and More
by G.A. Finch (LGC Fellow since 1987)
You want a practical approach to navigating your executive or professional career. What are the essential elements to successful work outcomes? You are tasked with the hiring or termination of an executive. What should your organization be thinking about? After two decades of immersing himself in the successes and challenges of his clients’ careers and businesses, G. A. has some suggestions. Read more here.
The Inclusion Paradox: The Obama Era and the Transformation of Global Diversity – 3rd Edition
by Andrés Tapia (LGC Fellow since 2008; Daniel Burnham Fellow)
This book explores what it takes to move into the next generation of diversity work so organizations can grow business and attract and retain the best talent. The work of diversity and inclusion has never been more urgent, particularly as all aspects of our lives have globalized on a massive scale. The 3rd Edition offers many practical and strategic solutions for how anyone, including business, diversity, and human resources leaders, can make organizations and the people in them stronger, more productive, and more successful. Read more here.
Acts of Faith: The Story of an American Muslim, in the Struggle for the Soul of a Generation
by Dr. Eboo Patel (LGC Fellow since 2004)
Acts of Faith is a remarkable account of growing up Muslim in America and coming to believe in religious pluralism, from one of the most prominent faith leaders in the United States. Eboo’s story is a hopeful and moving testament to the power and passion of young people—and of the world-changing potential of an interfaith youth movement. Listen here. Read more here.
American Grown
by Michelle Obama (LGC Fellow since 1993)
In her first-ever book, Michelle invites you inside the White House Kitchen Garden and shares its inspiring story, from the first planting to the latest harvest. Hear about her worries as a novice gardener – would the new plants even grow? Learn about her struggles and her joys as lettuce, corn, tomatoes, collards and kale, sweet potatoes and rhubarb flourished in the freshly tilled soil. Try the unique recipes created by White House chefs and made with ingredients just picked from the White House garden. And learn from the White House Garden team about how you can help plant your own backyard, school, or community garden. Listen here. Read more here.
Becoming
by Michelle Obama (LGC Fellow since 1993)
In her memoir, a work of deep reflection and mesmerizing storytelling, Michelle Obama invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her—from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work, to her time spent at the world’s most famous address. With unerring honesty and lively wit, she describes her triumphs and her disappointments, both public and private, telling her full story as she has lived it—in her own words and on her own terms. Warm, wise, and revelatory, Becoming is the deeply personal reckoning of a woman of soul and substance who has steadily defied expectations—and whose story inspires us to do the same. Listen here. Read more here.
A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919
by Claire Hartfield (LGC Fellow since 1988)
On a hot day in July 1919, five black youths went swimming in Lake Michigan, unintentionally floating close to the white beach. An angry white man began throwing stones at the boys, striking and killing one. Racial conflict on the beach erupted into days of urban violence that shook the city of Chicago to its foundations. This mesmerizing narrative draws on contemporary accounts as it traces the roots of the explosion that had been building for decades in race relations, politics, business, and clashes of culture. Listen here. Read more here.
Finding My Voice: My Journey to the West Wing and the Path Forward
by Valerie Jarrett (LGC Fellow since 1986)
'The ultimate Obama insider' (The New York Times) and longest-serving senior advisor in the Obama White House shares her journey as a daughter, mother, lawyer, business leader, public servant, and leader in government at a historic moment in American history. From her work ensuring equality for women and girls, advancing civil rights, reforming our criminal justice system, and improving the lives of working families, to the real stories behind some of the most stirring moments of the Obama presidency, Valerie shares her forthright, optimistic perspective on the importance of leadership and the responsibilities of citizenship in the twenty-first century, inspiring readers to lift their own voices. Listen here. Read more here.
Walking My Faith: A Journey of Faith, Leadership and Success
by The Rev Mary E. Tudela (LGC Fellow since 1990)
Rev. Mary challenges the notion that personal values and faith cannot coexist with professional ambition and success in today's society. An Episcopal priest and former executive at a Fortune 500 company, Mary offers practical examples on how the values of love, forgiveness, grace, and acceptance can help anyone succeed in today's challenging and often stressful business environment. While exploring the ways that "faith-full" leadership can strengthen work teams and organizations, enabling individuals to live holistic and authentic lives, she also shares her personal experiences, the stories of others, and eye-opening insights about what awaits those who want to live and work in accordance with their most cherished faith-based values. Read more here.